With summer just starting a few days ago, many of us are already looking forward to all of the fun activities that come with it: barbecuing, camping, kayaking, or just laying about in the sun. Many of us

looking forward to the outdoors are also looking for ways to keep away pesky flying pests.

Aside from being a general nuisance, there is a good chance that the Zika virus may spread to some of the southern states, according to various reports. This means that we should all be much more cautious when trying to repel mosquitoes.

DEET Mosquito Repellents Health Risks

In order to ward off blood-sucking mosquitoes, most people spray or lather on layers of DEET-based insect repellents.

DEET, otherwise known as N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide, is a colorless liquid that was developed by the U.S. Army in 1947 for use by soldiers, and has not been changed at all since its development. It works by confusing an insect’s sense of smell, making them unable to locate anybody who has used it.

Although it has been known to be effective at warding off insects, specifically mosquitoes, it is also known for providing users with a variety of health risks. Since it is often applied in the form of a misty spray, people who use DEET-based insect repellent’s commonly get it in their eyes and mouth, causing painful irritation and other reactions. People who have accidentally swallowed DEET also experience nausea and vomiting, and has even resulted in seizures.

Side effects caused by DEET don’t only occur when someone swallows or inhales it. If left on the skin for too long, DEET has been known to cause irritation, redness, rashes and swelling. Scientists have also confirmed that DEET can be found in the bloodstream for up to 12 hours after applying it to the skin.

Lemon Eucalyptus Oil Mosquito Repellent

The health effects caused by DEET emphasize the need for new, alternative insect repellents that don’t provide side effects but are still effective at repelling possibly harmful mosquitoes. Thankfully, one study found that lemon eucalyptus essential oil is the alternative that we’ve been looking for.

Lemon eucalyptus oil is commonly used by cosmetic industries for its strong, fresh scent, which researchers also attribute its insect repelling properties to. During the study a variety of different essential oils were tested, and although many of them worked, they only lasted for a few minutes.

However, the researchers found that lemon eucalyptus essential oil provided insect-repelling properties for up to an hour, making it the most effective natural mosquito repellent available.

Using Lemon Eucalyptus Oil as Mosquito Repellent

Using lemon eucalyptus oil as a bug repellent is incredibly easy. Simply fill a small spray bottle, preferably around 8 ounces, about three/quarters of the way full with water. Then add between 30 and 50 drops of lemon eucalyptus essential oil to the water, or until it reaches your desired strength, and mix well.

Have a question about your health but don’t know where to start?

You can then spray this on your skin, or in areas highly infested with mosquitoes, and the strong smell will prevent them from coming near you.

By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. more information

The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.